1979: Eagles Defeat Cowboys in Monday Night Showdown

The Philadelphia Eagles faced an uphill battle as they took on the Dallas Cowboys in a Monday night game on November 12, 1979. Head Coach Dick Vermeil’s team had gotten off to a 6-1 start but, following three straight losses, was at 6-4 and in danger of falling out of contention in the NFC East. QB Ron Jaworski provided gritty leadership, HB Wilbert Montgomery was highly productive both running and receiving, and WR Harold Carmichael (pictured at right) had set a new NFL record by catching a pass in his 106^th consecutive game the previous week. The defense lost its leader, MLB Bill Bergey, to a knee injury in the third week but was proving to be formidable and the kicking game, which had been a sore spot the previous year, was also much improved with the arrival of the barefoot-kicking rookie Tony Franklin.

The Cowboys were the defending NFC Champions and atop the division with an 8-2 record. In their twentieth season under Head Coach Tom Landry, they remained strong on offense with QB Roger Staubach throwing the ball and HB Tony Dorsett carrying, while the defense had weathered some key losses to retirement and injury to keep the club on track. Moreover, they had not lost to the Eagles at home since 1965 and were nine-point favorites.

There were 62,417 fans in attendance at Texas Stadium as well as a national television audience. The Cowboys had the first possession and, after Tony Dorsett ran for 24 yards on a sweep and FB Scott Laidlaw gained another eight, they came through with a big play when Roger Staubach went long to WR Tony Hill for a 48-yard touchdown. Rafael Septien added the extra point for the early 7-0 advantage.

Following a short series by the Eagles that resulted in a punt, Dallas was again on the move thanks to the running of Dorsett as well as Staubach but, after catching a second down pass, Dorsett was stripped of the ball by LB Jerry Robinson at the Philadelphia 41. It looked as though the reprieve would be a short one, but helped by a defensive holding call that nullified a third down sack, the Eagles maintained possession and Ron Jaworski passed to Harold Carmichael for 16 yards. A few plays later the drive stalled and, facing fourth-and-six, Tony Franklin was short on a 53-yard field goal attempt, but once again a Dallas penalty intervened and moved the visitors up five yards. Now facing fourth-and-one, the offense returned to the field and took the Cowboys by surprise as Jaworski passed to Carmichael for a 32-yard TD. Franklin added the game-tying point after.

Midway through the second quarter, the Eagles were back in scoring position after DB John Sciarra returned a Dallas punt 32 yards. Jaworski threw to Wilbert Montgomery for 15 yards but the series ultimately came up empty when Franklin was wide to the left on a 45-yard field goal try. With Staubach out due to a thigh injury, QB Danny White entered the game and the Cowboys were forced to punt following a short possession.

The Eagles lost their quarterback as well when Jaworski also had to leave the game due to a wrist injury suffered when he was hit by DE Harvey Martin and they turned to their backup, John Walton. The series ended with a punt but WR Steve Wilson of the Cowboys muffed the kick and LB Frank LeMaster recovered at the Dallas 29 with a minute remaining in the first half. The visitors immediately capitalized when Walton threw to WR Charlie Smith for a 29-yard touchdown and, with Franklin’s conversion, Philadelphia was ahead by 14-7.

However, the Eagles weren’t done as SS Randy Logan intercepted a White pass on the ensuing series at the Dallas 42 that set up a club-record 59-yard field goal by Franklin, giving the Eagles not only a 17-7 halftime lead but a psychological lift.

Both starting quarterbacks were back in the game in the third quarter. In a drive that featured the running of Montgomery and FB Leroy Harris, the Eagles advanced into Dallas territory and scored on a Jaworski pass to Carmichael in the right corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Franklin added the extra point to make it a 24-7 contest.

The Cowboys, now in a deeper hole, responded with a five-play possession that started with Staubach passing to Hill for 36 yards to the Philadelphia 31, but they came up empty when Septien’s field goal attempt from 47 yards was short. Later in the period, the Eagles failed to extend their lead when Franklin missed from 52 yards.

With six minutes left to play, Dallas finally got on the board again in electrifying fashion when Staubach threw long again to Hill (pictured at left) for a 75-yard touchdown. Getting the ball back with 2:48 remaining on the clock, the Cowboys advanced 72 yards in nine plays that concluded with another Staubach scoring pass, this time to TE Billy Joe DuPree from five yards out. Septien successfully converted after each TD and the margin was thus narrowed further to 24-21 with 1:19 to play. But any hopes of a stunning comeback were dashed when, on the following series and facing a crucial third down, the Eagles sealed the win as Montgomery broke away for a 37-yard TD. Franklin’s point after capped the 31-21 victory.

The Cowboys had the edge in total yards (408 to 328) while the teams were even with 17 first downs apiece. However, Dallas turned the ball over five times, to none by the Eagles, and Philadelphia recorded five sacks, to three by the home team.

Ron Jaworski completed just 12 of 29 passes for 145 yards, but two were for touchdowns and there were no interceptions. John Walton was two-of-six for 41 yards and a TD in his relief appearance. Wilbert Montgomery rushed for 127 yards on 25 carries that included a touchdown. Harold Carmichael had four catches for 69 yards and two TDs and Charlie Smith contributed four receptions for 54 yards and a score. John Sciarra had an outstanding night averaging 13.8 yards on six punt returns. Tony Franklin made good on only one of his four field goal attempts, but it was a big one.

For the Cowboys, Roger Staubach was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 308 yards and three TDs with none intercepted. Tony Hill (pictured at left) had a big night in defeat, catching 7 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Tony Dorsett gained 53 yards on 13 rushing attempts and had 7 catches for 64 more yards.

The Eagles climbed to a game behind Dallas with the win. It was the first of four straight and five in the last six games, but Philadelphia lost the rematch with the Cowboys and, while both clubs finished at 11-5, it was Dallas winning the division and the Eagles placing second, although reaching the postseason as a Wild Card. They defeated the Bears in the first round but lost to Tampa Bay at the Divisional level. Dallas also fell in the Divisional round, losing to the Rams.

Both Harold Carmichael and Wilbert Montgomery had Pro Bowl seasons, with Carmichael catching 52 passes for 872 yards (16.8 avg.) and 11 touchdowns and Montgomery gaining 2006 yards from scrimmage (1512 on 338 rushing attempts, 494 on 41 pass receptions) and compiling 14 TDs.

Tony Franklin (pictured at right) ended up kicking 23 field goals out of 31 attempts, with three of them coming from over 50 yards. Prone to inconsistency, his 74.2 percentage was the best of his five years in Philadelphia, although he would go on to better years in New England. The 59-yard field goal against the Cowboys remained his career high by far.

Tony Hill ended up with 60 catches for 1062 yards (17.7 avg.) and 10 touchdowns, and received Pro Bowl honors for the second year. His 213-yard pass receiving total against the Eagles remained his career best.

1978: Cowboys Overcome Missed Opportunities to Defeat Cards in OT

It appeared to be a classic mismatch on October 15, 1978 as the Dallas Cowboys, with a 4-2 record, faced the winless St. Louis Cardinals, who were 0-6 and, going back to the previous season, had lost a total of ten straight contests.

Coached by Tom Landry for the 19th season, the Cowboys were the defending NFL Champions and, while off to a somewhat slow start, they remained formidable. QB Roger Staubach (pictured above) directed an offense that could run the ball effectively with HB Tony Dorsett or strike from the air to wide receivers Drew Pearson and Tony Hill. The defense was strong, with the line anchored by DE Harvey Martin and DT Randy White and containing an excellent secondary.

St. Louis had fallen on hard times after winning two division titles under Don Coryell in 1974 and ‘75. Coryell had departed following a 7-7 record in ’77 and Bud Wilkinson, a legendary college coach who had nevertheless been away from the sidelines for many years, was in his place. While the Cardinals had an able quarterback in Jim Hart and a good line, they lacked outside speed at running back. The club had yet to score more than 17 points in a game and the defense had difficulty against the run, giving up 216 yards on the ground in a loss at Dallas three weeks earlier.

There were 48,991 fans in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. In the first quarter and following a fumble by Roger Staubach that was recovered by NT Mike Dawson, the Cardinals advanced 47 yards in seven plays. FB Jim Otis ran for the last two and a touchdown, followed by Jim Bakken’s extra point.

Dallas missed an opportunity a few plays later when SS Charlie Waters nearly intercepted a Hart pass with a clear field in front of him, but dropped the ball. Later, however, and following a punt that had the Cowboys starting from their one yard line, the visitors drove 99 yards in 11 plays. Drew Pearson gained 28 yards on a reverse and Staubach completed passes to Tony Hill for 17 yards and TE Billy Joe DuPree for 20 along the way, and capped the series with a six-yard TD throw to FB Robert Newhouse. Rafael Septien tied the score at 7-7.

The Cards put together their own long drive, covering 87 yards, and Otis again capped it with another touchdown, this time from a yard out. Bakken’s point after put the home team back in front by 14-7. In the last minute of the first half, CB Roger Wehrli intercepted a Staubach pass and Jim Hart connected with HB Steve Jones for a 38-yard gain, but he lost his grip on the ball just short of the goal line and, while WR Pat Tilley nearly recovered in the end zone, CB Aaron Kyle recovered instead for the Cowboys. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

Still up by seven points in the third quarter and with a fourth down at their 37, the Cards were forced to punt. However, punter Steve Little dropped the snap and, while he recovered, was unable to run past the line of scrimmage. Dallas quickly capitalized on the next play, utilizing trickery. Tony Dorsett took a handoff, gave the ball to Drew Pearson coming around on an apparent reverse, and the wide receiver then flipped it back to Staubach, who threw long to Tony Hill in the corner of the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown. Septien added the game-tying extra point.

Two minutes later, and following Harvey Martin’s sack of Hart that had Little punting from his own end zone, WR Butch Johnson returned the line-drive kick 23 yards to the St. Louis 15. Helped along by a pass interference penalty, the Cowboys scored when Staubach connected with Hill for another TD, this time from six yards out. Septien’s conversion had the Cowboys in front by 21-14 with 1:17 remaining in the third quarter.

St. Louis came back with a nine-play, 68-yard series that stretched into the fourth quarter.  Hart threw to WR Mel Gray for gains of 30 and 19 yards and finished the possession off with a one-yard toss to HB Wayne Morris for a touchdown. Bakken’s conversion knotted the score again at 21-21.

Later in the period, the Cards drove from their 17 to the Dallas 16, but with 2:54 left in regulation, Bakken missed a 33-yard field goal attempt that struck the left upright, one of several instances in which both teams missed opportunities to win in regulation.

As the clock counted down to less than a minute to play, the Cards lost Hart, who was sacked again by Martin and had to leave the game due to a shoulder injury. With rookie QB Steve Pisarkiewicz now behind center, the Cards punted shortly thereafter and another good return by Johnson gave Dallas excellent field position at the St. Louis 32. Staubach passed to Pearson for 15 yards and, with the ball at the St. Louis 16, it appeared that the Cowboys were on the verge of putting the game away. Newhouse fumbled on the next play, however, and LB Steve Neils recovered for St. Louis. Pisarkiewicz then threw long for Gray, but it was intercepted by FS Cliff Harris. Staubach connected with Pearson to pick up 25 yards and, once again, Dallas had a shot to win. But with the clock down to one second, Septien’s 49-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DE John Zook and, following an eventful final minute of regulation, the game headed into overtime.

The Cowboys won the toss to start the extra period and, taking possession at their 23 after the kickoff, Staubach started off with two completions before he had to leave due to injury. It didn’t deter Dallas as Newhouse carried for 13 yards, Dorsett for six, and Septien kicked a 47-yard field goal at 3:28 into the extra period. The Cowboys came away with a hard-fought 24-21 victory.

Dallas led in total yards (418 to 372) and first downs (24 to 21). The Cowboys also recorded three sacks, to one by St. Louis. However, the visitors turned the ball over four times, to three by the Cards, and amassed 12 penalties at a cost of 109 yards while St. Louis was flagged four times.

Roger Staubach completed 23 of 40 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Drew Pearson had 7 catches for 101 yards and carried the ball twice for 34 yards while Tony Hill contributed three receptions for 60 yards and two TDs. Tony Dorsett was held to 24 yards on 12 carries and Robert Newhouse topped the Dallas runners with 47 yards on 12 attempts against a surprisingly stiff St. Louis defense. Butch Johnson averaged 15.8 yards on four punt returns.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart (pictured at right) was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 264 yards and a TD while being picked off once. Jim Otis gained 88 yards on 28 rushing attempts that included two touchdowns and Wayne Morris added 30 yards on 13 carries and had a TD among his four pass receptions for 26 yards. Mel Gray gained a team-leading 89 yards on his four catches.

Roger Staubach missed no time with his injury, which was minor, and while it was initially projected that Jim Hart would be out for at least three weeks, he missed just one. The Cowboys won their next game, lost two, and didn’t lose again as they finished atop the NFC East with a 12-4 record. They again reached the Super Bowl before losing to Pittsburgh. The Cardinals fell to 0-8 before turning around and winning six of their last eight contests. St. Louis ended up with a 6-10 tally and placed fourth in the division.

1982: Third Quarter Surge Lifts Steelers to Win Against Cowboys

With the threat of an impending players’ strike looming, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys met in a first-week Monday night game on September 13, 1982. There were streaks on the line as the Steelers had beaten Dallas four straight times, including twice in Super Bowl meetings, while the Cowboys had won 18 consecutive season-opening games.

Pittsburgh was entering its 14^th season under Head Coach Chuck Noll, and four of those campaigns had ended with NFL Championships. However, the Steelers missed the postseason the previous two years, including 1981 when they broke even at 8-8. Many of the aging stalwarts of the title-winning years were still on the roster, including QB Terry Bradshaw, FB Franco Harris, WR John Stallworth (pictured above), LB Jack Ham, and CB Mel Blount.  But DT “Mean Joe” Greene had retired and MLB Jack Lambert was injured and would be replaced by David Little, one of several rookies debuting on defense.

The Cowboys were coached by Tom Landry, as they had been since 1960, and coming off back-to-back 12-4 seasons that had concluded with losses in the NFC title game. QB Danny White was solid, if not spectacular, and there were dependable targets in wide receivers Tony Hill and Drew Pearson plus tight ends Billy Joe DuPree and Doug Cosbie. RB Tony Dorsett was coming off of a 1646-yard rushing season that nearly topped the NFL. The defense remained tough from front to back, even with the retirements of SS Charlie Waters and OLB D.D. Lewis.

There were 63,431 fans in attendance for the nationally-televised contest at Texas Stadium with the game-time temperature at 85 degrees. On the opening kickoff, DB Fred Bohannon of the Steelers fumbled after returning it 33 yards and the Cowboys recovered at the Pittsburgh 41. However, after driving to the 15, they turned the ball over when an errant handoff was recovered by David Little.

The Steelers struck back, gaining 26 yards on three plays before Terry Bradshaw threw to John Stallworth for a 48-yard pickup to the Dallas six yard line. A running play lost yardage, but Bradshaw again connected with Stallworth, this time in the corner of the end zone where he outmaneuvered CB Dennis Thurman for an eight-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt failed when rookie holder Rick Woods muffed the snap, but the visitors held the early lead.

The Cowboys advanced 66 yards in eight plays that featured Danny White falling at one point but recovering to throw to Doug Cosbie for a 30-yard gain. The drive ended with White passing to Drew Pearson for a four-yard TD and, with Rafael Septien successfully converting, the home team was up by 7-6.

Pittsburgh responded with a nine-play, 61-yard series that stretched into the second quarter. It concluded with Bradshaw firing a pass to WR Jim Smith, who made a diving catch in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown. Gary Anderson, appearing in his first regular season game, was successful on the point after this time and the visitors were back on top by 13-7.

Dallas came back with an 80-yard drive in 10 plays. Facing third-and-two at the Pittsburgh 12, a scrambling White connected with Cosbie in the end zone for a TD. Septien booted the extra point and the Cowboys led by 14-13. Each club had a chance to add three points before the end of the half, but Septien missed wide on a 52-yard field goal attempt and Anderson’s 35-yard try for the Steelers was blocked by DT John Dutton. Dallas maintained a one-point edge at halftime.

On the first possession of the third quarter, the Cowboys were forced to punt from their 16. DE Keith Willis charged in from the left side to block Danny White’s kick and Pittsburgh took possession at the 19. Five plays later, Thurman was called for pass interference at the goal line and RB Frank Pollard powered in from the one for a touchdown. Anderson added the extra point and the visitors were in front by 20-14.

On the next Dallas possession, a third down pass by White was deflected and intercepted by Rick Woods, playing at safety, who returned it 12 yards to the Dallas 35. The Steelers took five plays to reach the end zone as Franco Harris started off with an eight-yard carry and Pollard ran 11 yards around end. Bradshaw threw to Jim Smith for a 15-yard TD and Anderson converted to extend the lead to 27-14.

Three plays into the next Cowboy series, White was again picked off, this time by Jack Ham. Bradshaw threw to Stallworth for a gain of 21 yards but the Pittsburgh drive was halted short of a touchdown this time, although Anderson booted a 26-yard field goal. Down by a point at the half, the Steelers were now ahead by 30-14.

The Cowboys went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and punted from their 21. Taking over at the Dallas 48, Pittsburgh advanced 22 yards and, early in the fourth quarter, Anderson added a 43-yard field goal to expand the lead to 33-14.

Now in a deep hole, the Cowboys fought back on a five-play, 76-yard drive that concluded with White throwing long for Tony Hill (pictured at left) and a 45-yard touchdown. Septien converted to make the score 33-21.

The Cowboys regained possession at their 32 and White connected with Cosbie for a 26-yard gain and, on a trick play, White tossed the ball to Pearson who fired long to Hill for 26 yards to the Pittsburgh 15. A pass by White to Hill in the end zone was dropped but the Steelers were penalized for illegal contact. Now with a first down at the Pittsburgh 10, an offside penalty moved the ball five yards further and White tossed another scoring pass, this time to Billy Joe DuPree. The Pittsburgh lead was narrowed to 33-28 with 5:47 remaining in regulation.

The Steelers, needing to run the clock down, put together a long drive of 49 yards in 10 plays that featured Bradshaw connecting with RB/WR Greg Hawthorne for 22 yards on a first-and-20 play following a holding penalty and with TE Bennie Cunningham for a three-yard completion to convert a third-and-three situation at the Dallas 36. After three running plays, Anderson came in kick a 40-yard field goal that clinched the 36-28 win for Pittsburgh.

Dallas accumulated more total yards (436 to 388) and first downs (28 to 23). However, the Cowboys also turned the ball over four times, to one by the Steelers, and in the crucial third quarter that was the key to Pittsburgh building a big lead. The Steelers also recorded three sacks, to one for Dallas, but were penalized eight times while three flags were thrown on the Cowboys.

Terry Bradshaw (pictured at right) completed 17 of 28 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. John Stallworth had a big night with 7 catches for 137 yards and a TD. Jim Smith caught two passes for 22 yards and both were good for touchdowns. Franco Harris rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries, the fortieth hundred-yard game of his career, and also had three pass receptions for 29 yards.

For the Cowboys, Danny White was successful on 25 of 36 throws for 347 yards and four TDs while being intercepted twice. Two receivers reached the hundred yard threshold with Tony Hill pulling in 6 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown and Doug Cosbie caught 5 for 102 yards and a score. Tony Dorsett topped the club with 30 yards on 11 rushing attempts and also had 5 receptions for 44 yards.

“We lost it in the third quarter,” said Coach Tom Landry in defeat. “You can’t expect to give a team what we gave them and expect to beat them. You can’t expect to give a team like that five turnovers and do anything. The whole game was the third quarter.”

Both teams won the following week, after which the players’ strike materialized and wiped out the next two months. When they returned to action in November, each went on to finish at 6-3 in the abbreviated season. With divisions eliminated for the year, for Pittsburgh that meant a fourth-place ranking in the AFC. The Steelers lost to San Diego in the first round of the resulting postseason tournament. Dallas was second in the NFC and again reached the NFC Championship game, losing to the Washington Redskins.

1979: Anderson Runs for 193 Yards but Cards Fall to Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys had won 14 straight opening games as they started another season against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 2, 1979. A perennial contender under Head Coach Tom Landry, Dallas had won a second consecutive NFC Championship in ’78 before losing a close contest to the Steelers in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys were still sound on both sides of the ball, with QB Roger Staubach the NFL’s most efficient passer, outstanding receivers in Drew Pearson and Tony Hill, and a defense that was adept at stopping the run as well as rushing opposing passers, although DE Ed “Too Tall” Jones had departed to try his hand at boxing and SS Charlie Waters went down with a knee injury in the preseason. In addition to the losses on defense, if there was a concern heading into the first week of the ’79 regular season, it was that star RB Tony Dorsett was injured and rookie Ron Springs would be filling in.

The Cardinals had gotten off to a miserable 0-8 start in 1978, but won six of their last eight contests on the way to a 6-10 record. Legendary Univ. of Oklahoma head coach Bud Wilkinson had come out of retirement at age 62 and was back for a second year in St. Louis. QB Jim Hart was coming off a year in which he passed for a career-high 3121 yards, WR Pat Tilley had emerged as a quality possession receiver, and the offensive line was anchored by stalwarts in OT Dan Dierdorf, G Bob Young, and C Tom Banks. However, there was a lack of speed at running back, a situation that had been addressed by taking Univ. of Miami RB Ottis Anderson (pictured above) with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the NFL draft.

There were 50,855 fans on hand at Busch Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys struck first in the opening period when Rafael Septien kicked a 37-yard field goal. They scored again on a four-yard run by FB Robert Newhouse in the second quarter and, with Septien’s extra point, were up by 10-0. However, a 33-yard run by Ottis Anderson set up a two-yard touchdown pass from Jim Hart to TE Al Chandler. Mike Wood added the PAT and the score was 10-7 at the half.

Midway through the third quarter, Septien kicked a 24-yard field goal to extend the Dallas lead to six points. However, a fumble deep in Dallas territory by TE Doug Cosbie was recovered by St. Louis CB Roger Wehrli and set up the second touchdown for the Cardinals which came on an 18-yard pass completion from Hart to Pat Tilley. Wood’s extra point put the home team in the lead by 14-13.

The Cowboys responded with a 79-yard drive. Roger Staubach completed passes of 12 and 21 yards along the way and the series concluded with Ron Springs throwing an option pass to Tony Hill for a 30-yard TD. Dallas failed to add the extra point but was back in front by 19-14 with 12:35 remaining in the game.

The Cards were unable to move on their next series, but on the following possession Anderson broke away for a 76-yard touchdown run, and it seemed as though an upset might be in the making. Wood added the PAT and St. Louis was up by two points with time running down.

DB Wade Manning returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to give Dallas good starting field position at the St. Louis 48. Newhouse gained 14 yards on two carries and Staubach completed a pass to Hill for seven yards. With 1:16 remaining on the clock, Septien booted a 27-yard field goal and the Cowboys came away with a narrow 22-21 win.

Dallas led in total yards (455 to 342) and first downs (24 to 17). Both teams were productive on the ground, with St. Louis piling up 237 rushing yards to 161 for Dallas, but the Cowboys were far more effective through the air, compiling 294 net passing yards to 105 for the Cards. St. Louis also turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by the Cowboys.

Roger Staubach (pictured above) completed 20 of 34 passes for 269 yards and, while he threw for no touchdowns, he also gave up no interceptions. Robert Newhouse gained 108 yards on 18 carries and scored a TD. Ron Springs rushed for just 30 yards on 15 attempts but also threw the 30-yard scoring pass. Tony Hill caught five passes for 113 yards and a score and Drew Pearson was right behind with five receptions for 99 yards.

For the Cardinals, Ottis Anderson was the star on offense with 193 yards on 21 carries that included the one long touchdown run. FB Wayne Morris contributed 41 yards on 10 attempts and had four catches for 28 yards. Jim Hart was successful on 12 of his 29 throws for 112 yards and two TDs, but also gave up two interceptions. Al Chandler had four receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown and Mel Gray and Pat Tilley each pulled in two passes apiece, for 32 and 31 yards, respectively. One of Tilley’s was good for a score.

The narrow escape in St. Louis did not immediately portend trouble for the Cowboys, who got off to a 7-1 start on the way to winning the NFC East for the fourth straight year with an 11-5 record. They were upset by the Rams in the Divisional playoff round. The Cardinals won their next contest but lost the next three on the way to a 5-11 finish and the bottom of the division. Bud Wilkinson failed to last the year and Jim Hart found himself being challenged by former first draft choice Steve Pisarkiewicz.

Ottis Anderson proved to be a bright spot amid the gloom in St. Louis. His outstanding opening week performance was the first of nine 100-yard rushing games on the way to 1605 yards on 331 carries (4.8 avg.). He scored a total of 10 touchdowns (8 rushing, 2 receiving) and received consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors. Anderson also was named NFC Player of the Year by The Sporting News and was the Associated Press selection for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

1983: Cowboys Overcome 20-Point Deficit, Beat Redskins in Opener

The Washington Redskins, champions of the NFL in 1982, began their title defense with a Monday night game on September 5, 1983 against their arch-rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. It was a humid 87 degree night in Washington, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the sellout crowd of 55,045 at RFK Stadium.

Washington, coached by Joe Gibbs, featured the passing of QB Joe Theismann and the ground-gaining of rugged RB John Riggins on offense, along with an outstanding line known as “The Hogs” and a capable group of receivers led by WR Art Monk. The defense lacked big names but played well as a unit.

As for Head Coach Tom Landry’s Cowboys, they had most recently lost to the Redskins in the NFC Championship game – their third straight trip to the conference title contest that ended in defeat. QB Danny White was capable but also living in the shadow of his illustrious predecessor, Roger Staubach, and RB Tony Dorsett, TE Doug Cosbie, and wide receivers Tony Hill (pictured above) and Drew Pearson were all solid offensive performers. The defense had slipped in ’82, however, showing signs of age.

The Redskins were emotionally high coming into the opening game and did well at exploiting weaknesses in the Dallas defense during the first half. The Cowboys started their first drive from their own 16 yard line and that was typical during the first two quarters of play as they were consistently kept on their own half of the field.

In the first quarter, Mark Moseley started the scoring off with a 23-yard field goal and Riggins scored a touchdown on a one-yard carry. The biggest first half highlight for Dallas came in the second quarter on a 77-yard run by Tony Dorsett, who was caught from behind by fleet CB Darrell Green. Stifled again by Washington’s defense, the Cowboys had to settle for a 26-yard Rafael Septien field goal.

Moseley followed up with field goals of 30 and 39 yards and, with 40 seconds left in the first half, WR Charlie Brown made an outstanding catch of a Theismann pass for a 41-yard touchdown that seemingly put the Redskins in command at 23-3.

Theismann amassed 181 passing yards in the first half, making good use of short sideline passes to his wide receivers. Meanwhile, Danny White was a miserable one-for-nine. Dallas managed just three first downs, one of them on a penalty. However, for all the dominance Washington had scored just two touchdowns, along with three field goals.

The Cowboys made adjustments to the defense at halftime that successfully countered Washington’s attack during the second half. Things began to turn around early in the third quarter when White completed a pass to Tony Hill, who raced past CB Vernon Dean for a 75-yard touchdown.

Shortly thereafter, White hit Hill again for another long scoring play, this time victimizing the inexperienced CB Anthony Washington in the secondary. Suddenly, the Washington lead was down to 23-17.

Still ahead by six points, the Redskins drove to the Dallas 14 yard line but were moved back by a holding penalty and then Moseley had a critical missed field goal attempt from 31 yards. Dallas responded by driving 80 yards – 27 coming on runs by Dorsett and aided by a late hit of White called on LB Mel Kaufman - and taking the lead with White running around end for a short TD, followed by Septien’s extra point.

With just over two minutes to play, the game-clinching points were set up thanks to reserve CB Ron Fellows intercepting a Theismann pass at the Washington 40 and returning it to the four yard line. TE Doug Cosbie caught a touchdown throw by White from a yard out with less than two minutes to play.

The Redskins finally scored again in the waning seconds to close to one point, but it was inconsequential to the outcome once a desperation onsides kick was recovered by the Cowboys. Dallas came away with a 31-30 win.

Washington outgained the Cowboys (447 yards to 356) and had more first downs (26 to 16), but was also penalized seven times, to just two flags thrown on Dallas. Moreover, the inability to put more points on the board in the second half until it was too late, combined with the big plays by the Cowboys that exploited weaknesses in Washington’s defense, made the difference.

Danny White, recovering from the horrible first half showing, ended up completing 9 of 20 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Tony Dorsett (pictured below) rushed for 151 yards on 14 carries. With the two long scoring plays, Tony Hill gained 133 yards on 3 receptions while Doug Cosbie also caught 3 passes, for 36 yards and the clinching TD.

For the Redskins, Joe Theismann was successful on 28 of 38 throws for 325 yards with two TDs and the one late interception. Alvin Garrett caught 10 of those passes for 101 yards and Charlie Brown added 6 for 97 yards. John Riggins ran the ball 27 times for 89 yards and a touchdown.

“That pass to Hill was the play that turned the game around,” said Joe Theismann. “It didn’t kill us, but it woke up the Cowboys.”

“Anytime I can look up here and see the stands half-empty and the fans grumbling on their way out, it’s the most gratifying experience in football,” said Dennis Thurman, who recovered the climactic onsides kick for the Cowboys that effectively ended the game. “Those fans were screaming ‘we want Dallas’. I’m not too sure they want us now.”

The opening defeat was easily overcome by the Redskins, who won the rematch in Dallas later in the season and lost only one other game in compiling a 14-2 record. Featuring their high-scoring offense, they again advanced to the Super Bowl, only to be upset by the Los Angeles Raiders. The Cowboys finished second in the NFC East but qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card with a 12-4 tally. They didn’t make it to the NFC Championship game this time, falling to the Rams in the first round.

Danny White (pictured at right) placed third in the league with 3980 passing yards and tied with Joe Theismann for second with 29 TD passes. Tony Hill caught 49 passes for a team-leading 801 yards (16.3 avg.) and 7 touchdowns. Doug Cosbie was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of three straight yeas as he pulled in 46 receptions for 588 yards and 6 TDs. Also chosen for the Pro Bowl was Tony Dorsett, for the fourth time, who rushed for 1321 yards on 289 yards (4.6 avg.) and caught 40 passes for 287 more yards and a total of 9 touchdowns.